Narcan maker Emergent BioSolutions is joining in on International Overdose Awareness Day by re-upping its "Ready to Rescue" campaign across U.S. college campuses—as well as spreading the message to Canada with a pro athlete partnership.
The company’s Ready to Rescue push first launched back in 2023 to dismantle stigmas around opioid use and accidental overdose by fostering open dialogs and encouraging preparedness with Emergent’s overdose reversal spray Narcan. With opioids linked to nearly 80% of drug-related deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, the company is now returning to college campuses to reinforce the campaign in partnership with Release Recovery and its CEO Zac Clark.
Emergent will promote the Ready to Rescue messaging at college campuses across the U.S. this fall, enlisting Clark to share his personal story with opioid dependencies and encourage the younger generation to carry Narcan nasal spray.
“Today is a reminder of the lives lost to opioid overdoses and serves as a key moment to stand with the families, friends and communities affected by this ongoing public health crisis,” Emergent’s SVP, head of products business, global government and public affairs Paul Williams said in a company release. “While progress has been made, more work remains. By expanding access, awareness and availability to Narcan Nasal Spray 4 mg and Kloxxado Nasal Spray 8 mg we can help more people recognize an opioid emergency and be prepared to act when every second counts.”
Over in Canada, where naloxone nasal spray has long been available without a prescription, the opioid crisis continues with an average of 15 deaths each year due to opioid poisonings, Emergent cited. To address the Canadian public health crisis, the Narcan maker is teaming up with Toronto Blue Jays baseball player Davis Schneider, who shares his story of his late brother to raise awareness and emphasize the importance of carrying Narcan.
“Being prepared to act in a moment of crisis can mean the difference between life and loss,” Schneider commented. The athlete also took part in Emergent’s “Countermeasures” podcast series to further educate the public on opioid overdose risks.
Emergent’s Narcan spray became the first FDA-approved over-the-counter naloxone product in 2023, with higher-dose Kloxxado joining its portfolio of emergency drugs last year through a deal with Hikma Pharmaceuticals. Narcan’s over-the-counter availability has been said to have contributed to U.S. annual declines in opioid overdose, according to Emergent.
The company's campaign website features educational resources on Narcan use during opioid emergencies, including a video explainer from campaign ambassador Emmitt Smith, a former NFL star. Emergent also highlights risk factors and statistics on opioid overdoses in the U.S., urging visitors to “help break the stigma and be ready to rescue.” Smith previously contributed to the campaign by visiting college football tailgates across the U.S. to spread the word alongside Emergent.
Also on International Overdose Awareness Day, Canada’s government awarded Emergent a standing offer to supply Narcan for three years from the fall of 2026 to the same period in 2029, with an option to extend for an additional two years. The arrangement follows a previous five-year standing offer that will expire this September.
Maryland-based Emergent, which also makes other medicines in the emergency preparedness vein such as an antiviral for smallpox and an inhalation for anthrax exposure, recently slimmed down through another restructuring round that looks to save $40 million in annual costs. The cost-savings push comes as new competitors hit the naloxone field, pressuring Emergent’s Narcan, with second-quarter sales falling 22% year-over-year to $52.4 million,